A JEHOVAH'S Witness elder accused of a string of historic sexual offences raped a fellow church goer, a court heard today.
At Merthyr Crown Court via a taped police interview the woman described the attack by Mark Sewell, a man she had become friends with after joining the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Sewell, 53, of Porthkerry Road, Barry denies the charge of rape and other charges of sexual assault against children aged under 14 and 16.
Explaining how she and her husband had become friends with Sewell and his family, the woman described how his behaviour changed after an admission to hospital to have his wisdom teeth removed after which he was said to be suffering from depression.
She told the court that although he was still charming and caring in outward appearance, he also began to exhibit darker tendencies, and made advances on the woman, now in her 50s. He would use suggestive language to her, try to kiss her and in one incident ripped a bikini top off her during a trip.
She explained that she became more involved with Sewell's home life in the early 90s when he began drinking and behaving aggressively towards his children and wife Mary.
During one visit to talk to Sewell about the problems his marriage was having the woman was pushed to the ground and raped, she said.
Arriving at Sewell's home, the woman's husband consoled Sewell's upset wife while the woman went into a back room to find Sewell lying red-eyed on a sofa
Pulling her down to him he attacked her.
"Very, very quickly I was pushed onto my back," she said.
"My underwear was ripped from me in one massive yank and I was saying to him 'What are you doing? What are you doing?"
Following the attack, which was over in seconds, the woman said she was in shock and unable to believe what had happened. Sewell rolled over and went to sleep.
The next day Sewell asked the woman to come and speak with him where he claimed he had been drunk and begged for forgiveness, crying on his knees.
The woman did not go the police at the time saying she thought that it would "destroy her".
After the attack the woman discovered she was pregnant, and believed it to be Sewell's as she and her husband used protection when they had sex.
When she told Sewell he had simply said: "I hope you have a girl"
At this point the woman said she thought that Sewell must be "insane".
The woman miscarried three weeks later, which she called a "blessing in disguise".
The trial continues.